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The covert plan had been so well executed none of the media or TV camera crews stationed near the couple's home had realised the pair had made a hasty exit.

A photograph of which would have commanded a fee of thousands.

So when the official announcement by Buckingham Palace came at 2pm that Meghan had gone into labour - eight hours after she had actually given birth - the new family of three were sat hidden away in the comfort of their home.

Meanwhile, reporters and fans were racing to get to Windsor in anticipation of the second statement that the baby had been born.

But the world didn't have long to wait as just 40 minutes later - and in a royal first - Harry and Meghan used their Instagram account to break the news they had welcomed a son.

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The image featured the white intertwining H and M logo, bearing the words 'It's a BOY!'.

While underneath it said: 'Their ROYAL HIGHNESSES the DUKE and DUCHESS of SUSSEX are OVERJOYED to announce the BIRTH of their CHILD'.

The image - liked by almost three million since Monday - was anything but basic. It was the epitome of sophistication that clearly a lot of thought had gone into, maybe thanks to Meghan's touch?

It was carefully designed using different fonts, while the words were set on a dark blue background - a shade to rival Farrow & Ball's pitch blue paint, a colour used in the homes of the style conscious.

Shortly afterwards, Buckingham Palace followed suit with the same announcement details, sans image - and with a awkward blunder.

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The decision to break the news themselves encapsulated the couple's determination to dance to their tune - and stay in control.

They had already decided to break tradition and shun the huge photocall on the steps outside the Lindo Wing in Paddington - as Meghan reportedly believed it was archaic.

However, it is something Kate and Prince William had done with all three of their children, and Princess Diana and Prince Charles before them.

Harry and Meghan had also previously refused to reveal where the Duchess would give birth, sparking speculation she had opted to have the baby at their recently renovated home - but was it all a smoke screen?

Meghan and Harry chose not to pose outside the hospital like Kate and William did with all three of their children (Image: Getty Images)

Details of where the birth took place were omitted (Image: AFP/Getty Images)

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Emphasis throughout the pregnancy was always put on the word "privately" something royal commentator Ingrid Seward has said Harry is "paranoid about".

Even on Monday afternoon, when Harry gave his first interview as a father he chose to do it in neutral territory - outside and in front of the stables in Windsor Castle rather than a more intimate or poignant location.

He shared exactly the amount of detail he wanted and gushed: "This little thing is absolutely to-die-for so I'm absolutely over the moon."

But when pressed over a baby name, the Duke remained coy and tight-lipped.

He also confirmed the world would get its first glimpse of the Queen's eighth great-grandchild in two days time.

The couple revealed their son for the first time on Wednesday (Image: sussexroyal/Instagram)

They had a personal photographer also taking pictures (Image: sussexroyal/Instagram)

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"I'm just a bloody amoeba," he is said to have shouted, when learning his children would not bear his surname, complaining he was the only man in the country not allowed to do so.

Junor added: "I would think the Duke of Edinburgh would be absolutely thrilled with that.

"Archie is a lovely name, but the fact that they've chosen to call him Mountbatten-Windsor.

"Prince Philip was never allowed to call his children by his own surname.

"I think that's a really nice tribute to Harry's grandfather."

What our Royal Editor thinks:

Daily Mirror Royal Editor Russell Myers said: “Throughout their whole pregnancy, Meghan and Harry were very determined to handle every aspect incredibly privately.

“On one hand that is of course entirely their prerogative, but on the other I wonder whether it caused them and their team far more hassle.

“Meghan’s reasons to not give birth at the Lindo Wing and her preference to have a home birth we’re all totally understandable.

“Much has been said of the values of tradition of asking a woman to pose on the hospital steps just hours after giving birth, much of it impossible to argue against.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle present baby Archie to the world (Image: PA)

“But making an official announcement that Meghan was in labour when she had already given birth was a strange decision and ultimately led to a lot of confusion and misinformation that wasn’t helpful to anyone.

“Everyone expected them to announce the birth on Instagram which is a massive change from tradition and something of a pattern we are seeing emerge from the Sussexes.

“They are after all a global brand now, their decisions justified by the thinking they attract a lot of interest from fans or followers across both sides of the Atlantic.

“But it was Prince Harry’s personal and heartfelt tv interview to confirm the birth that will live long in the memory.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so happy and why wouldn’t he be.

“This is the Harry people love and with that personal touch every royal fan felt as though they were a part of the special occasion with the couple.

“Whether the timing of the birth announcement and the photocall a couple of days later were both timed for the US market, being able to coincide with the prime time breakfast tv shows is something ya Brits will have to get used to and perhaps it doesn’t really matter.

What a cutie! (Image: PA)

“Even the announcement of Baby Archie’s name was conveniently announced during West Coast tv networks.

“With their roles in the Commonwealth only going to get bigger, their global status will only grow and the reach of social media arguably a good way to get their message, whatever that may be, out to the largest amount of people at one time across the world.

“It’s a brave new world dealing with the couple’s surging popularity and mistakes will be made, but hopefully they can find a happy medium of satisfying their mass appeal while respecting the traditions of the royal family that have served generations before them.”